Dental Fear, Anxiety & Phobia

Overcoming Your Fear of the Dentist

Patients have different levels of dental fear depending upon what caused the fear in the first place. Quite often dental anxiety grows from a previous bad dental experience.

Do I Have Dental Fear?

Is your smile less than perfect? Do you want to achieve your best smile possible, but you refuse to change the appearance of your smile because you are apprehensive or anxious about the long and complicated dental proceduresto achieve that perfect smile? Then, yes, you have dental fear!

Advanced Dental Care can suppress or eliminate your feelings of fear by the use of sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry reduces your dental fear or dental phobia and makes you feel comfortable during the recommended treatment process. With your fears lessen, Dr. Koch can help you achieve a confident, winning smile.

Types of Dental Fear

Psychologists, in an effort to help dentists better understand their patients’ levels of dental fear, have broken it down into three classifications: dental anxiety, dental fear, and dental phobia.

Classifications of Dental Fear

Dental Anxiety

Response – To a danger you have not experienced yet

Dental Situation – A new dental procedure you have to had in the past

Solution – Sedation Dentistry

Dental Fear

Response – To a danger you have experienced before

Dental Situation – A dental procedure you have had in the past and know what to expect and fear experiencing the procedure again

Solution – Sedation Dentistry

Dental Phobia

Response – To a danger similar to how you feel with dental fear, but more intense and debilitating

Dental Situation – A dental procedure that just the remembrance of it creates a dental phobia so strong that you avoid dental check ups, dental cleanings, and all things dental

Solution – Sedation Dentistry

How to Overcome Dental Fear

Advanced Dental Care evaluates your level of dental fear and your specific concerns and then recommends the appropriate sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry addresses the fears that keep you from regularly visiting the office. When you choose to use sedation dentistry, chances are you are more apt to receive your recommended routine care. By lessening your dental phobia, we help you to seek the appropriate dental care you require, perhaps preventing more invasive dental treatments in the future.

Does My Dental Phobia Affect My Daily Life?

Absolutely! Dental anxiety, fear, or phobia can affect your life. How? You know that dental fear can affect your overall dental health, but consider this. Your dental phobia may also lead to depression. You may become depressed if you avoid meeting people because you are ashamed of the way your teeth look. You may become depressed if you do not apply for job opportunities that require a friendly smile. You may become depressed if you have low self-esteem because you cannot master a task as easy as going to the dentist. Lastly, you may become depressed by having feelings of guilt because you do not maintained proper dental care. You do not need to let dental fears affect your daily life. Dr. Koch can help you to lessen your dental phobia allowing for a normal, active life.

So How Do I Overcome My Dental Fear?

Advanced Dental Care offers sedation dentistry! With sedation dentistry, your dental experience can be anxiety ridden and pain free, with the help of taking a little pill, called oral conscious sedation. Our friendly and compassionate Advanced Dental Care staff’s greatest concern is your comfort and well-being, and our goal is for you to be comfortable from the minute you fearfully walk into our office to the minute you smilingly walk out our door.